.
Pam was standing in Karen’s room. The room was sophisticated. It was hard to imagine that a college student lived in this room. Even Karen’s furniture seemed to look nicer than Pam’s. It was the same furniture, but everything just looked superior to her room.
“Your room is amazing.”
“Thanks, after three years of living here I really got the hang of decorating it.” Karen was standing in front of her closet looking for a smaller purse. “Did you apply?”
“For what?”
“To be an RA.”
“No.”
“You should. You would be good at it.”
“How do you know?”
“You’ve lived with your roommate, Kelly, for almost half a year and you haven’t killed her yet. Most people would have asked for a room transfer.” She finally found the small black purse she was looking for.
“Kelly’s not that bad.”
“You should think about it though. Free room and board, you can’t beat that.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Karen walked over and checked herself out in the mirror. “Ready?”
“Yep.”
Downtown was packed with college students. They stopped at some restaurant. Pam told Karen that it would be fine if they just ate at the deli next door, but Karen insisted on this place. Pam got a hamburger and some fries. Karen got some sort of fancy salad. Even her pre-party dinner was sophisticated. When the bill came Pam offered to pay for her half, but Karen told her not to worry about it. She was just paying her back for her help.
Afterwards they walked around a bit. They went into some stores and tried on some clothes that neither of them could afford even if they saved their next 4 paychecks.
“I should probably warn you that Michael will be at this party.”
“Michael?”
“Yeah, we have a lot of the same friends.”
“You guys have the same friends?”
She nodded her head. It was sort of embarassing. No one told her when she applied to be an RA that it would completely consume her life. That she would always be working no matter what time of day and no matter where she was. Sometimes it was a buzz kill. She would be at home at a party and some kid would drink too much and she would immediately begin checking them for alcohol poisoning.
“I think I know that guy.” Pam was pointing at a guy standing in the middle of a crowd performing a song.
“That guy. You know that guy?”
“We had art studio together.”
“He’s been performing down here since before I got here. I always thought he was homeless.”
They were now standing in the back of the crowd listening to Creed sing about some midnight confession.
“He’s really good.”
Creed finished his song and the crowd dispersed. His eyes meet hers and she smiled and waved.
“Hey Creed, I didn’t know you were a musician.”
“Penny!”
“Did he just call you Penny?” Karen whispered to Pam.
“How’s that doodling?”
“Oh art, its going well.”
Creed was leaning over scooping the money he made and shoving it in his pockets like they were winnings from some backroom poker game.
“We have to get going. Just thought I would stop to say hi. Take care of yourself William.”
“You too Pam.”
Karen waited till they were out of earshot before speaking. “He called you Penny and then Pam in less than 30 seconds.”
“He’s just a strange guy.”
The party was just a few blocks away from downtown. They arrived at the house at 9. They were greeted by a clean cut good looking guy with brown hair.
“Karen, good too see you. Who’s your friend?”
“Josh, Pam.” She pointed between the two and Josh extended a hand to shake Pam’s.
“Pam,” he held on to her hand just a little bit too long, “Make yourself at home. The keg is in the back and Michael is in the kitchen making cosmos or something girly like that.”
Pam finally got her hand back and followed Karen to the back. The party wasn’t big. Just a few people in each room that they passed through. Kevin was standing next to Michael who wasn’t actually making cosmos. He was pouring sprite and vodka in a cup and then adding a few drops of red food coloring dye. His eyes got big when he saw Pam standing in front of them.
“Hey Michael.”
“Pam, I didn’t know that you knew Josh.”
“I don’t, Karen invited me.”
“Party crashing, huh? I won’t tell. Cosmopolitan?” He picked up the red cup filled with his concoction.
Normally she would have said no and she would have just got some water instead, but she wasn’t going to be that girl tonight. She grabbed the cup and sipped it. It was pretty bad. It was like drinking straight vodka with just a dash of sprite.
“Let me know when you want another one. I watched Cock-tails with Tom Cruise this morning and I think I got it all down.”
“Actually Michael, I think it’s just Cocktails, not Cock-tails.”
“That’s what she said.”
She turned away from Michael towards Kevin and took a big gulp of her drink. She cringed at the taste.
“Where’s Jim at tonight?”
“I don’t know. Probably in his room.”
“You guys are just always together.”
It made her mad that everyone assumed that she was with Jim all of the time. It wasn’t a bad assumption though. She was always with him. She wanted to change the topic fast. She didn’t want to spend all night thinking and talking about Jim. If that was the case she could have just stayed home and actually been with Jim.
Meredith walked into the room from the backyard. “Hey Pam.”
This was the first time Meredith had actually used Pam’s name. She was kind of sure that Meredith didn’t know it. “Hey Meredith.”
“You just got here?” Pam nodded. “Here’s a jello shot.” This was Meredith’s version of initiation.
Pam looked over at Karen to get some sort of approval that she should ingest this green blob in this small dixie cup. Karen shrugged her shoulders as if to say ‘it’s up to you.’ She looked down at the small cup, ‘couldn’t be worse than Michael’s drink,’ she thought.
“Bottoms up.” For some reason she was expecting the gooey slickness of the jello to make it slide down her throat, but the harsh taste of alcohol made it catch in her mouth and she was slowly chewing the jello.
Meredith already had another two in her hand. Once Pam got the first one down she put a hand out to tell Meredith that she wasn’t ready for a second one just yet or ever. Green jello would never taste the same.
Pam sat down in front of Michael watching him attempt to make something else. Karen took the seat next to her. She wasn’t sure what Karen was drinking, but she was sure it wasn’t something Michael made.
“Michael, what are you making now?” Pam was new to this drinking and partying thing.
“Long Island Iced Tea.” He said proudly as he dipped a few tea bags into a pitcher.
Karen couldn’t sit in front of Michael watching him anymore. “You want to go sit in the other room?”
“Sure.”
They got up and went to the living room. Josh was regaling the other people in the room with a story about a flag football game. When he was done he took the open spot next to Pam.
“How do you know Karen?”
“I work in the office at Dunder Hall.”
“Cool. How’s Phyllis?”
“Actually, she’s not that bad.”
“I some how don’t believe you.” There was an uncomfortable pause between them. “You want something else to drink.” He pointed to her empty cup.
“Sure.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Karen stopped her conversation with the guy sitting on the other couch. “You know he’s flirting with you, right?”
“Josh?”
“Yeah. You should go for it. You guys would be cute together.”
“Oh no, he’s not my type.”
“Type?” Karen raised an eyebrow at her. “What is your type then?”
“I don’t know.” She did know. She wanted to say tall, funny, caring, witty; all of the adjectives that described Jim, but she didn’t.
Josh came back with two cups of beer. She was kind of glad. She didn’t think her stomach could handle another Michael creation.
Pam sat on the couch listening to Josh talk about more intramural sports. She wanted to yell ‘I get it. You play sports. You’re athletic. Talk about something else,’ but the alcohol was slowly kicking in. She was giggling at his stories even though her mind was telling her that this was the worst attempt at flirting that it had ever seen. Even Andy was a more attentive flirter, which wasn’t saying much.
She finished her beer and thought that this was the perfect excuse to get out of this conversation. She waited for a break in his spiel to excuse herself to the kitchen. Michael, Meredith, Kevin and Toby were sitting at the table playing some drinking game.
“Pam!” Michael was extremely drunk by this time. “Join us!”
She took the empty seat next to Toby. “What are we playing?” They explained the rules and within a matter of minutes Pam had the hang of it. An hour later they were all very drunk. Meredith picked up a 9 and said, “Lame.”
Toby said, “Dame.”
Pam said, “Fame...I’m gonna live forever.” It was beyond her why she was singing that stupid song.
Kevin took a second to grin before saying his. “CAME! Awesome.”
Then it was Michael’s turn, “MANE!” He then realized that mane did not rhyme with lame. “I meant maim.”
Pam was a little impressed that Michael could even think of the word maim. Michael took his drinks. Karen entered the kitchen and walked over to the table.
“What happened to you guys?”
Pam giggled a little. She wasn’t sure when they all got this drunk. Was it an hour ago? Ten minutes ago? She had no real grasp on time right now.
“It’s getting a little late. Are you guys ready to go back?”
She took the lack of an answer as a yes. She pulled out her phone and called someone. “We’re ready.”
Pam got up from her chair and she stumbled a little. She couldn’t remember where she left her purse at. “Karen, have you seen my purse?”
“You didn’t bring a purse.”
“That’s right. You’re right.”
Karen ushered Michael, Pam, and Kevin into the living room. Toby was practically carrying Meredith behind them. They stood in the living room waiting for their driver to show up. Five minutes later they were saying their goodbyes to everyone. Josh walked up to Pam and slipped her his number when he shook her hand goodbye. She laughed hard, not because she thought it was cute, but because she could tell he thought it was the smoothest move.
When they walked out to the car Pam saw an unexpected face, Angela. “Why is Angela here?”
“She’s our designated driver.”
“She’s my RA!”
Angela got out of the car and stared down Pam. Pam gave her a weak smile back. They sat five in the backseat. It was a little cramped but they managed. Kevin sat up front with Angela.
“Did you guys have fun sinning tonight?”
“Shhhhut it.” Pam didn’t know if it was the best idea that Michael was insulting their driver, especially when their driver was Angela.
“And what is Pam doing here? You guys provided alcohol to a minor! That is a class C felony. FELONY!”
Kevin was already sleeping when they arrived back at Dunder Hall. Pam nudged him in the shoulder until he woke up. They all piled out of the car. Toby was still helping Meredith walk to the building. Meredith was mumbling something, but they couldn’t quite make it out.
“Did she say she thinks she has a tick?”
And then Meredith threw up on Toby’s shoulder.
“I think I’m going to be sick! That’s what she said.” It was weird to hear Michael say ‘that’s what she said’ and not have it be about sex. It kind of took away the shock of Toby standing in Meredith’s vomit, not Toby’s shock though. Nothing could take that away.
“God punishes sinners. Toby, I think you will think about over indulging next time you go out. Gluttony is a sin.”
“The perfecting ending to the perfect night.” Did Pam say that aloud? She meant to only think it.
.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Pam runs into some familiar faces at the party.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for all the reviews. And thank you elly for helping me through this chapter.
